Skip to main contentA logo with &quat;the muse&quat; in dark blue text.
Advice / Succeeding at Work / Work Relationships

Are You Making One of These Handshake Mistakes?

Giving a handshake within the first 10 seconds of meeting someone is a gesture we’re all used to. But, how many of us have actually mastered this art that could make or break a person’s first impression of us?

While average handshakes usually don’t stick in our memories, bad handshakes, sadly, do. And, the last thing you want after leaving a job interview, a networking session, or even a family gathering is to be remembered as the one with limp noodles as fingers or bone-crushing lobster claws as hands.

To make sure this three-second act goes smoothly—and it really should not last more than three seconds—we’ve provided an infographic with the perfect formula for a proper handshake. You’re welcome.


Infographic courtesy of Remove and Replace. Photo of people shaking hands courtesy of Shutterstock.